Log:Felucia: Husks Among the Nettles

Soon after the formation of the Galactic Empire, R&D facilities were quickly established in various locations across the star systems. One such facility was the Trans-Hydian Morphogenesis and Palynology Lab. Located in the Agari Canyon on Felucia, this laboratory carried out studious, secretive, and sometimes dangerous research.

Since the Empire's fall and the building's abandonment, what had been developed inside has been left to run rampant. In an slow act of ecocide, Agari Canyon terraformed into The Wound: an amalgamation of mutated species and unstable hybrids. Yet at the core of it all is a seed vault that could house some good for the local Felucians amongst all the destruction.

If the salvagers can get past that which remains trapped within.

Previous Log: Roots to Branches

Husks Among the Nettles

OOC Date: September 03, 2022
Location: Fungal Forest, Felucia
Participants: Maelstrom (GM), Sumi Kora, Qutha Buvu Pah, Hahtavi Kora, Grafn Struss, Tamsin Cas, Kye Keraz, Aurora, Galen Dawnstar

o~`< Fungus Forests - Fungus Forests, Felucia >o~`~-.o~-.()._.--.-~o-.o~`~-.o~

Felucia has a diversity of bizarre plants (such as spike, spore, and enormous pitcher plants), fungi, and animals which are almost rubber-like and translucent. When the sun shines, the environment glitters like multicolored glass.

Most of Felucia is entirely covered by a humid, fetid landscape of huge fungal forests and its wildlife includes native gelagrubs, immigrated acklays, and a prodigious sarlacc.

Felucia has strong ties to the Living Force and as such the world's flora and fauna, including Jungle Felucians, can be influenced by a presence of a strong Force-user both light and dark. Most plants and animals of Felucia have adapted special defenses to protect them from each other, which makes them particularly hostile to off-worlders. Felucia is known to radiate a sort of life force that the native Jungle Felucians are capable of feeling.

This particular section of the planet is the fringe of a giant fungus forest. This is a clearing with enough space for starships to land.

o~`~-.o~-.()._.--.-~o-.o~`~-.o~-.()._.--.-~o-.o~`~-.o~-.()._.--.-~o-.o~`~-.o~-

-- Maelstrom --

There were a few more encounters between the giant Mama Spider and their final destination. A pack of slobbering akkdgs twice the size they should be with horns on their heads that took a bite out of Kye. A beautiful brown and red moth the size of a skimmer that menaced Grafn with pinching mandibles and gave Aurora a nasty rash from the dust-like scales. Sentient vines from above that had quickly entangled Qu'tha and Hahtavi both and had to be cut through. Sumi took a blunt-force whack to her beskar'd chestplate from the club tail of an armoured scorpion. Galen discovered a nest of large, flightless birds after having fallen into the camouflaged hole in the ground and nearly became a meal for the newborns. Plenty of work for the team's doctor Tamsin who managed to at least keep Imat safe but otherwise constantly patching up the group.

Despite all of that, it isn't until they reach the facility itself that Imat noticably hesitates. Small black eyes now wide and jaw slack, he looks up at the behemoth of a building as if seeing the more fearsome monster in the Wound. Beneath the decades of overgrowth that has been slowly swallowing it, the structure is a severeal-stories-high greenhouse. Transparisteel windows start twenty feet up and gracefully arch up to form the massive dome on top. Woody vines and clawing plants reach out from several broken windows, showcasing the interior that is desperate to burst out. The words 'Trans-Hydian Morphogenesis and Palynology Lab' are imprinted over the thick double doors of the entrance that have clearly been barricaded and locked shut in recent years.

"Those who went in never came out." Imat has said this before, but not standing in the shadow of this unmoving behemoth, there is a dark gravity to his usually chipper voice. "Is a graveyard. Whatever be within is not of Felucia. Is not of nature. If any unsure, you can wait here with me." By the grace of the Two Moons, Imat is not going in there.

-- Sumi --

Sumi should be winded, and she should be hunched over, but she isn't. The stamina of a century old soldier continued to pump through her veins leading her to walk over, examine the door, and listen to the description of what lay before them. <"We are, all of us, not of Felucia.. so it should be a fair fight. Let's kill these things so I can bring back something for a cookout.."> Sumi flips up a small rifle, its receiver replaced; what once had been a straight-pull bolt was transformed to a lever action, and the buttstock was shorter, more stylish, and bearing the name of the only soldier deemed was the greatest to have ever lived.

A light activates on her armor and she trudges forward, fearless or stupid; one could never tell with Mando'ade.

-- Qutha --

Fwit was out of the bag after attending to that spider beast. Nothing for it than to have his jacket jammed down into his haversack, loosening up his movements and the long homespun cloak thrown over his shoulders having upset the lone Porg whom he had told should have stayed in the blasted ship.

Now the little avian was riding in the folded seam of his tunic, poking its little head out to issue a 'Bawk' to announce its irritation that it hasn't been given feed this whole time it's been scootching around his coat while Qutha had been fighting, squeezing, running and jumping.

"F'it's time for me t'meet m'end... Well, that's m'dest'knee." striding forward with his lightsaber hilt held in hand, thumb brushing the sun disk that activates the blue blade that washes him in shimmering azure.

-- Hahtavi --

<"Elek, the spiders surely weren't good eating."> Hahtavi rumbles through his vocoder to Sumi's statement. He stands quietly while Tamsin sees to his arm after their latest tussle with the wildlife in this valley. Once she's done patching up his arm, he quietly thanks her, <"Vor'e, Doctor Cas."> Patiently he rolls the fiberweave suit back into place, seals up inside his arm and then replaces the plates and his armored gauntlet.

<"I'm going in. Didn't come this far to pissout at the last. Let's get those seeds your people need.">

His Galaar rifle is out and clipped to his tactical rig. Haht takes a moment to double check his ammo and then he's ready to proceed.

-- Grafn --

Mandibles of Death! That be-damned and thrice damned moth had been something out of nightmares, and there hadn't been a big enough lamp to distract it! Grafn was pinched, and ached, and was coming to the firm conclusion that most, if not all, of nature needed to be covered in ferrocrete. Yet finally, at the ominously named lab, Grafn took something of a breather and exhaled a touch raggedly as he momentarily slung his rifle, patted down the various explosives slung about his frame on bandoliers, and then began to double check and triple check his weapon.

"Well my dear Imat, you've been a tremendous fellow getting us this far! I for one salute you!" That rich Coruscanti timbre rang out, somehow sounding slightly refreshed, and yet not a glimpse of a flask had been noted as the old combat pilot and 'Bantha Rider' swayed warmly, and finally unslung his rifle once more. "I salute you my dearest fellow." And with that said, he looks to all those gathered, and nods a helmeted nod. "And of course an honour one and all. We might well die here, but we'll do our damndest! Onwards and upwards!"

-- Tamsin --

If the Good Doctor felt put out by the sheer amount of work that needed to be done to get the group from one side of the valley to the other, she made no mention of it. But, it certainly answered the question of what all she kept in her working gear, which had more pockets than one would count. Supplies...were not a problem. "Of course, Hahtavi." Tamsin, coming to halt as they reached, finally, the entrance to the research facility, looked over to Imat, expression considering as the guide spoke, "Do you have a weapon? Will you be safe outside?" Even if they might not need a guide inside, especially one who did not know the way, they would certainly need one for the trip back. And likely best not to give him a reason to start back without them. "I will not be able to wait outside with you."

-- Kye --

Kye has since recovered from that awful coughing fit borne out of inhaling a lot of spores, but he's aware that they're creeping closer to something uncertain and perhaps borderline deadly. He checks his guns, ascertaining that they are in good condition despite having fired quite a bit, and loads up the W-35 once again, intent on clearing out some laboratories for good.

He spins the gun in his grip before steadying an aim at -- nothing -- just a bit of an exercise, really. And now he's ready to shoot. With a silent nod to Imat, the Corellian waits. He bides his time.

-- Aurora --

Aurora squints her eyes at the sign over the door as if trying to read all the big words inscribed on it before shaking her head. "Sooo... this is the place, huh?" She rubs at her shoulder a bit, still feeling that rash from the moth. Could be worse, but the Zeltron was definitely making note to pick up something -sealed- for potential future adventures! A nod is given in agreement at Sumi's response to Imat. "Right! We're all alien so we're even! Can't argue with that logic!" Readying one of her Theed Arms S-5 pistols, Aurora prepares to enter the lab along side the others. Once more into the breach and what not. Time to finally see what was at the end of this journey!

-- Maelstrom --

"Safer out here than in there," is Tamsin's answer.

From his small leather pouch Imat produces a small keyring, the jingling of thin metal keys like dainty music against the harsh buzzing and chittering of thousands of creatures in the jungle around them. "This cursed place was locked away and each key held by the leader of a tribe." Indeed, every individual key is different; some simple and functional in design while others are elaborate and embellished. Different shades of metals. Different alloys and filigree. "It is only by unanimous decision that it is opened again for it takes all keys to open." One by one, the little Felucian man matches key to lock. Deep, cavernous clicks building the anticipation of what loathesome things lay within.

He finishes his sacred yet solemn task but does not open the door. Instead, he takes several steps back to regard the group as a whole. "What you strive to do for my people: it is of great importance and service. Perhaps a day will come that the children of this land can heal this Wound and reclaim Agari Canyon. But on this day, known you carry with you the prayers of my people. And mine, as well. Take care, wot."

Imat jingles the keys then hands a communicator to Tamsin. "I must lock the door behind you. Contact me when you are ready to leave. Should I not hear from you by the time the moons rise, I will pray that your souls find rest. May Felucia's song reach your ears."

-- Sumi --

Sumi doesn't say much else whilst waiting for the local nationals to unlock the gate. Aurora earned a quiet nod, and Hahtavi prompted a slight smirk, but beyond that, Sumi waited. When the door parted, Sumi stepped into it all, doing her best to allow her eyes to adjust, but they didn't immediately. So she stepped blindly into it, weapon in hand and held at the ready. Each boot fall was distinct, accompanied by a jingle-jangle noise of spent brass casings.

-- Qutha --

First steps are met with the Zelosian's free hand coming up to press to his stomach. Eyes going distance when his vision blurs before several long, hard, blinks and a small shake of his head pairing with an exhalation that flaps his lips like an equine blowing indignantly. "Sakes..." reaching for something in his tunic, only to have his thumb nipped by the indignant hitchhiker there.

"BAwwAWK." "Consarnit not now!" "Bawwwwwk."

Head perking up and his stance changing as he walks, left hand moving to rest with his wrist at the small of his back and his energy blade held forward, arm raised and wrist tilted to point it at a right angle to his body, "Movement... annit's reac'nary t'us. Keep a looksee."

-- Hahtavi --

A little behind Sumi, and right behind Qutha Plantboi, Hahtavi Kora walks carefully and looks around as they enter. The Mandalorian isn't put off by their guide's dire warnings and doesn't seem to be worried about getting back out again. His rifle is in his armored gaunlets and he tips his helmeted head back, T-visor shifting in the dappled light that streams down through the duraplast and durasteel structure and through the canopy of leaves thick above them.

<"Well, it's kind of ... meshla. Beautiful in here."> Beautiful but dangerous.

After a breath or two spent looking up above them, Haht's armored boots carry him slowly deeper into the massive structure behind his Alor. The ramikad tries to see where the movement is that Qutha indicates...

-- Grafn --

The old pilot follows up, the exquisitely well looked after rifle, all polished wood and lengthy barrel pointed slightly towards the ground as he follows after those before him. Heavy footfalls to be expected from the larger pilot, the effort of traversing the jungle certainly having taken its toll slightly. But here, though his heart is pounding, Grafn follows up and fulfills his duty.

"It is quite something... never thought I'd see a world like this." LIfting his helmet-shrouded features ahead, the old Imperial stays alert, shifting with a certain ease despite his discomfort.

-- Tamsin --

"Take care of yourself, whether you be in a less dangerous place or not. You have risked your life and faced your fears in leading us here. We will see you soon." Tamsin accepted the communicator, hiding it away inside a secured pocket inside her clothing as she turned to join the group. Clearly, the doctor intended to see the group reunite with their guide, as she moved to follow inside. Her eyes, easily adapted to the low light, cast this way and that, before she lifted a hand, pointing towards the canopy that had grown up above them, "Lifeforms in the growth above us. They may descend on us if we cause too much of a disturbance."

-- Kye --

Kye is gripping that pistol of his a bit tighter, his eyes cast in a determined light, while he takes what could be the most casual scenic stroll with a lot of 'friends' that he has some measure of acquaintance with. Well, Grafn being an exception to this; the old pilot definitely is a friend. And the doctor patched him up a time or two when he needed it (it's true).

Rubbing at his nostrils with a knuckle, he casts a wary glance here and there, he moves with the rest of the group. With some reservation.

-- Aurora --

Aurora watches curiously as Imat produces all those keys to unlock the door, eying each one in turn and wrinkling her nose a bit. "Feels like there was supposed to be a quest to get each of those keys or something..." she muses, then rubs her chin. "Or maybe... that'll be a quest for some future group, and this is the prequel. That probably wouldn't mean anything good for us though." When the door is unlocked she gives him a thumbs up. When Qutha mentions there's movement, she looks to the door curiously. "Guess whatever's in there knows we're here then."

-- Galen --

Galen's coming into building after everybody else slowly backing in while he watches the fungal forest for any more of those lovely spider thingies one last sweep with the F-11 before he's through the door, stepping off to the side before he spins towards the interior taking it in now, "Well this is a lovely place despite being so extremely deadly." Then a rubbing of his temple as one hand comes off his rifle for a moment, "But it doesn't feel right in here one bit."

-- Maelstrom --

True to his word, as soon as the last of the venturing party steps into the building, Imat closes the twin doors behind them. One by one the locks click back into place.

Inside the Trans-Hydian Morphogenesis and Palynology Lab is a fungal forest microcosm cranked up to eleven. Durasplast floors are cracked and broken apart, opening gaping holes that lead to a drop to the floors below. Metal railings and catwalks are being corroded by the moisture trapped in this gigantic bubble; stuck in a perpetual cycle of falling like misty rain, evaporating in the warm godrays streaming in from above, only to drop like mist again. The air is pleasantly fresh yet there is a bite just behind it. Something... off. The plantlife here has grown, died, decomposed, and birthed new life again and again and again. Fertile soil of generations squish and shift under foot.

But that isn't all that is shifting. As pointed out by an eagle-eyed Qutha, there is an abnormal shifting in the large fern leaves and dense underbrush around them. Though their presence has been vocally noted, it does not cease the approach. What emerges from within are the shambling husks of small Felucian bodies. Eyes gone and in various stages of rot, yet they walk, rickety, as if puppeted. No sound comes from their hollow throats. No mind to reach out to. Only the long, fiberous stalks growing from the top of their heads telling them to seek the new nourishment that has entered the domain.

-- Sumi --

Given all the movement around them, and the exposure of just what was approaching, Sumi sighs and presents the muzzle of her weapon toward a shambling husk. <"Sure are a lot of you-- I'll never remember all your names.."> She pulls the trigger, prompting the sudden and /very loud/ discharge of he weapon she holds. Its recoil is enough to rock Sumi back-first into another shambling husk, but her intended target?

Was struck by the slug round and ignited by the incendiary round that hissed after impacting, blowing a giant hole in its carapace. Sumi's weapon is primed, the lever-action used to chamber a new round; the weapon is spun in a small circle until the lever-action has completed its cycle of operation, concluding with a new round locked in its chamber and ready to fire. Sumi raises the molten orange-hot steaming muzzle toward another foe and grins from behind a mirror-like Mandalorian visor.

-- Qutha --

"Cordyceps..." Because he's a plant? Because of his extensive botanical knowledge? Either way, if they've jumped species to vertebrates, it's a considerable threat, and one that requires quick action at the present,

"Oh bother." saber swept up as though to give a duelist's salute and he steps forward once, then again to draw his weapon in a cross diagonal slash to sweep from shoulder to hip - the bisected husk tumbling and shuddering as it seems to deflate, "N'I thought w'us here for some dat'ratted herbs." blue blade lifting in return cross slash that hums wide of the mark. Frowning slightly at his misgauging of distance.

"Jus' wait... goanna be some blasted gian' spider thing, but fungus-ey next." brows knit and his stance turning into a pirouette with the lightsaber sweeping around him like a shield then lashing out to bisect another of the husks from crotch to brow. "Any aught need a hand, sing out."

-- Hahtavi --

Oh boy, just what everyone wants to see shambling out between the fungus and jungle greenery. Hahtavi drawls, <"So far looks more like Felucia got in more than what was in here got out."> Even as the others start hacking, slashing or shooting, this Kora fires away with his Galaar rifle.

Two red bolts flash into one of the zombie looking Felucians without hesitation, taking it down.

-- Grafn --

Those shambling forms are regard with a distinct distaste, and instantly the old wooden jezzail-esque rifle is brought to bear. "Contacts!" The old Coruscanti roars as he swings that long barreled rifle about and makes ready to fire off two quick shots. One foot squelches into the generational compost beneath his heavily booted feet, the other slips about as he simply picots upon it with a certain grace for one of his advanced years and waistline.

The exquisite CRACK! CRACK! of the old rifle rings out, echoing about the decomposing facility, the slugs winging their way through the humid air. The first shot slams into the husk, punching through visiously. The second finishes off the shambling horror as it finally understands that it is truly dead after a few horrific steps. Shifting his weight accordingly, the venerable and former AT-AT commander eyes the swirling drift of powder and heat from the end of that long barrel, before refocusing on the horrors approaching. "I'd say this reminds me of the time that I once... but to be honest? This does not remind me of anything. It is a horror of its own accord!"

-- Tamsin --

Tamsin, who neither carried, nor drew a weapon, moved to adjust herself so that, as best it was possible, she was surrounded on all sides by those who did have weapons and were in a position to stand between the doctor and the incoming shambling hordes. She did not appear afraid or apprehensive, she simply observed the incoming tides and watched to ensure that any who were attacked were within her reach to tend to. "Think of the stories you will be able to tell in the future, Grafn." How's that for a peptalk?

-- Kye --

When the shamblers come knockin', Kye's training his gun on them and firing away. Unfortunately, the first shot flies wide and the second hits squarely in its chest, leaving a hole in the wake of the plasma's passage. But it still tries to make a go at him, and while he sidesteps because the shambling thing is just a tad slower, he's nevertheless attempting to get rid of it as soon as possible. Stepping back when it attacks, he tries to train his gun on it once more.

-- Aurora --

"Cord-what?" Aurora tries to repeat, blinking as those shambling husks move toward them. "Well, think we found out what happened to the people that came in before us!" The Zeltron takes aim at the fungal-zombie closest to her with her pistol and fires off a quick series of shots, landing only a single blaster shot as the zombie closes the distance to her and seemingly doing little to dissaude its attack, though its attempt to swipe at her is hindered somewhat by the shot that lands in the creature's shoulder and she's able to deftly step back leaving it swiping at empty air instead. "Felucia's just full of surprises I guess!" she comments in response to Grafn. Really, she could probably just about fill out a whole adventurer's bingo card with their encounters so far!

-- Galen --

Galen's attention goes towards the shambling husks and sighs a bit bringing the rifle up and sights in on one of them... Then a breath in half breath out squeeeeeze of the trigger and PEW a red bolt of his F-11 zooooms out slamming into one of one of the husks as he steps forward just a bit, "Oh this reminds me of that holo I watched where I was screaming at the folks not to go in there it's a death trap"

-- Maelstrom --

The husks are exactly that: shells that were once beings who have long since died and had their forms taken over. But it wasn't the cordyceps that did them in. Upon closer inspection, these poor Felucian scouts -- many of whom have clearly been here a long, long time -- were implanted after death. Their bodies have large gashes in them. Torsos practically peeled opem. Limbs ripped off. Faces smashed in. But so long as bone and sinew still connected, the parasitical fungus and animate them like a driver animate a walker.

They're not terribly agile nor are they terribly sturdy. Especially when on fire. Less than a dozen remain now and one gets close enough to Grafn to sink what's left of their teeth right into his midsection. His armour absorbs most of it, there is definitely going to be a bruise there tomorrow. If there is a tomorrow.

But this potential feeding frenzy and follow-up shoot out has indeed drawn the attention of other creatures that call this lush, beautiful prison home. Admidst the croaking of amphibians and the buzz of insects comes a new sound. A low, dreadful drone that can barely be heard under the din. Aurora, Grafn, Sumi, and Galen all catch it incoming fast. Qutha, Tamsin, Kye, and Hahtavi must rely on reflexes alone to dodge what screams down upon them from above.

Large creatures with broad, feathered wings built for stealth and huge orange eyes that seem to glow even in the light rays of day. Their bodies of mammalian: lithe and long with whip-fast tails and long muzzles full of teeth. They screech like a flock of banshees and decend for the meal.

-- Sumi --

Sumi ducks under a potentially harmful attack from a husk, advancing forward and toward the sound of impending foes. <"GLOP OUT!"> Heralds Sumi's raspy yet distinct voice as she unhooks a grenade from her bandolier and triggers the fuse. Its spoon is released, flinging off the body of the grenade as Sumi counts aloud, 'cooking' it. Bracing her stance, she makes a comical noise, hurling the explosive across the room at an ideal time. <"HGggnngh!">

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!

Glop adhesive coats a group of the flying lemurs, pinning them to the ground incapable of movement. Sumi giggles, hoisting her weapon. <"Should even the odds! Get after it! OYA!">

Sumi hoists her rifle back up.

-- Qutha --

His instincts serve him, guided by warnings carried through the Living Force - when winged danger descends Qutha's feet are moving before he's conscious of it. A spiraling turn between gnashing teeth and swinging husk limbs. Ducking and long stepping to clear himself from the radius of the glop explosion.

When clear of others his wrist turns to cut the head from one of the creature's bodys, weaving into a figure of eight that slips past the edge of a tail, then shy of a wing tip. Shaking his head as he tries to clear it from the affects of this place with a lip caught between his teeth lending to his silence.

A bit of the adhesive goo spattered on his cheek and drawing a cross-eyed look to the offending material that threatens to tear skin if he doesn't go hunting for solvent to handle this matter.

-- Hahtavi --

For all they know, Hahtavi might be listening to Mando Metal music inside of his helmet. He doesn't seem to hear the things coming but a shadow moving catches his attention and he's fast to move! His rifle comes up and the very one that was diving down for him, or someone close to him, gets nailed with a shot from his rifle!

It's a solid shot and the beastie hits the ground, flopping and twisting in it's agony. Instinct makes the Kora try to shoot another one even as Sumi has glopped several, pinning them. Those Haht's left for the others...

But his second shot is a miss!

<"These look like they'll be good eating - maybe!">

-- Grafn --

Grafn stumbles back as the damned thing sinks its teeth betwixt armour, pinching at him ferociously, and then he fires off two shots. Tow mildly distracted shots given the fact each prjectile punches through the shambling horror, and yet, this time, it continues to approach. It is with a mighty Coruscanti roar that Grafn snarls at the flying things up above too! Buzzing him, clawing at him! His helmeted gaze following those awful critters for a brief moment! "I think... my dear Doctor! That you could well be right! This story will earn many a free drink at the establishments I frequent! Oh such a tale of derring do and heroic sacrifice!" Yet his voice may well be laboured, one can almost tell that behind that visor, the old polit is likely grinning like a loon.

-- Tamsin --

Tamsin, moving to stand behind, or as safely as she could, behind the former Imperial pilot, angled herself to prepare to get to Grafn as soon as his gun was not pointing in her direction, her hand reaching for one of the hyposprays she had tucked away on her person. She shifted her attention as she heard rustling in the undergrowth, two of the husks falling prey to the perils of the old research complex, as the floor beneath them crumbled under that weight the floor giving way to trap two of them still flailing for their intended prey.

-- Kye --

Once he finds himself on higher ground, it is pretty much a given that Kye will be able to train his gun on the head of the shambling husk and free it from any obligation towards its new fungal overlords. The disgusting sap that flies all around (and surprisingly doesn't hit the Corellian) is proof enough that it's one less creature to bother them with those flyers now deciding to make a bite out of them.

Running past, then, he gets closer to Grafn, as if trying to make sure his Coruscanti friend is alright. Gritting his teeth, he gets himself steeled for what is soon to come. His heart is beating hard with the surprise/sneak attack by the flyers. This is probably only just getting worse.

-- Aurora --

Aurora ducks down to avoid the initial swipe from the oversized lemur-things that were now descending upon them. For the moment, however, they weren't her main concern especially after a group of them get pinned down by a sticky grenade. She still had a zombie to deal with. Her S-5 continues to ring out, firing blast after blast, as she tried to put the husk down but most of her shots either missed or weren't landing a solid enough hit. Finally, though, a shot strikes the husk in the head and the creature topples over into a heap. With the creature finally dead (again) she lets out a sigh of relief. "Maybe -this- time it'll stay down! ...Oh right there's still more." She takes a quick look around to take stock of the current situation and figure out which target to focus on next.

-- Galen --

Galen blinks a bit as he looks at the flying lemurs of death and sighs, "Why? Why do they need to be flying things of death?" He shakes his head just a bit as he shifts his target from the husks to the lemurs he squeezes the trigger causing a lovely red bolt of energy to fly towards them and then past before it slams into the wild blue yonder. "Well... That's unfortunate."

-- Maelstrom --

This place... There is good reason why the Felucians had it locked up and those reasons are descending upon the group quickly as they try to make their way through the facility. Their progress is slowed considerably by the foes they continue to run into.

An adhesive grenade pops, sending a sticky web of goo that splatters over the wings of three of the fliers, brining them down to the ground and none-too-happy about it. Three more remain airborne but not for long: two being taken out while some of the remaining shamblers continue their mindless, heaving walks towards the nearest breathing morsels. Sweet, sweet carbon dioxide of the party's breaths to lure them in.

And if that was all, it would be manageable. But there's still something looming. No... no, not looming. It's here. There. Everywhere. The ground starts to shudder and the durasteel frames of the dome rattle the clean panels above. Then it comes... from the holes in the floor. From the trees around them. From seemingly everywhere and nowhere at once.

Vines. Dozens of them. Thick and gnarled with brambles sticking out like deadly spikes. Those who are quick on the reflexes move out of the way. Unfortunately for Grafn and Tamsin, the vines do catch them. Grafn feels the compression around his left leg, spines digging in as he is lifted off the ground. Then a vine wraps multiple times around Tamsin's leg, as well, and lifts her high. A third catches Sumi around the waist and yanks her off her feet; the squeeze taking the breath out of her.

-- Sumi --

Sumi is taken right off her feet by a vine that smashes her into the ground, out of view. The impact hurts, and the collision with a wall and the ground is enough to leave Sumi breathless, which accounts for two things: The loss of her rifle, and how she's hoisted up into the air and flung around.

Sumi has a lapse in perception, unable to focus until the sparkles in her vision have parted and she sees that everyone around her is upside-down. Bringing one vambrace to her other hand, she initiates the jetpack and halts the vine's assault. Sumi flies back, stretching the vine out until it struggles to hold her..

From her lower back, Sumi draws out the milky-steel of Dargul's Songblade, a weapon that sings and rings when freed from the scabbard on her lower back. Two hacks into the vine frees Sumi, and she drops to the ground cushioning her landing with the propulsion from her pack; it wasn't a bad recovery.

<"I hate touchy-feely plants.">

-- Qutha --

Skibidi wop ba ba ba. It's the closest to dancing that the plant man gets to. Keeping his eye on the flying lemur and letting his feelings guide him. Turning to one side with his blade raised before his face. Two steps to his left allows for a rustling swing of an arm chased by a rasping rustle of air forced through a hollow body.

Vines twist away from the bright blue beam of coherent light and energy being wielded. One tightly guided loop dividing plant life without success, drawing him further in; step by step and arc of his lightsaber following into another with the mass of vines sweeping clear of each and every attempt of his to thin their number or find the core stem of the creature,

"Dat blastit." Twisting to avoid a snapping line of green while his attempts at swordsmanship finds him wanting.

-- Hahtavi --

There's still lemur flying things and they are pretty fast, those that aren't glopped by Sumi's grenade. Hahtavi is about to try to shoot another one of those when the vines come ripping forth from the ground and all around them. He seems Grafn, Tamsin, /and/ Sumi all snatched up. <"Oya! I'm coming, Doc!">

Hahtavi's jetpack fires and his boots quickly leave the ground in pursuit. If Tamsin could see the grimace on his face, wondering if he can even hit the vines whipping around so fast with his rifle, she might ask him not to try! But even as he lifts up, he's sighting along his rifle and fires a red bolt!

It leaps forth and strikes the vine that is trying to throttle her, and his second shot hits another vine snaking in as well!

The moment she's starting to fall, the Mandalorian she has put back together countless times for countless injuries, is right below her and puts out a strong arm to catch her. Good thing Hahtavi's rifle is clipped to his tactical rig so he can pretty much use both arms to secure her.

Almost at once his jetpack starts to back off the power and start their gentle descent...

-- Grafn --

And suddenly the old pilot is airborne! Hung in the air in a most graceless manner! Oh this is embarrassing! Grafn snorts into the coms with a hoarse gasp of surprise and a sudden staticy burst of. "This fething thing! Fire in the... in the..." He keeps getting swayed about and distracted as his rifle slips down his arm, the strap catching in the crook of an elbow. "I say there!" The rifle now swinging about even more wildly as Grafn steadies his laboured breath.

The blood rushing to his head as his arms flail and his ungrasped leg kicks out into the air! "I say now, fire in the... damnit, stop shaking me!" And with a swirl and a shake and a wobble, the bulky armoured pilot gasps! "FIRE IN THE FETHING HOLE!" And with that shouted over comms, he grasps a grenade from his bandolier, arms it with a wild swipe of a thumb, and pauses for just a second to line up the drop! And it goes. It ploinks into the hole and for a second nothing until a great fiery gout of flame erupts beneath the floor! A few tentacles recede instantly as that explosion rips through the underfloor! "HAHA! Take that! Get... rekt!" His Coruscanti accent rings out, loud and proud across the airwaves. Though the impending fall is as yet unknown.

-- Tamsin --

All Tamsin wanted was to heal people. Keep them alive. Maybe get to the treasure at the end of the rainbow. But no, the mutated tentacle leprechaun had to decide to attack them, and distracted as she was in trying to get to her patient, she didn't have the presence of mind to avoid the vine that snapped out and caught her up, thorns biting into the flesh of her leg as it pulled her up from the ground and lifted her like a prize for the lemurs who were still flying. Cooperative carnage, yes? But, alas, no free meal for the lemurs, as Hahtavi rocketed from the ground, shooting with, well, let's be real, a tried and trained mandalorian's eye and skill, and the doctor was soon falling, the now dead tentacle slipping from her leg as she fell, her descent arrested by Hahtavi's arm and half of his armor as her weight hit his side and she had enough presence of mind to hang on with one arm as she stabbed herself with the hypospray in the other. Who knew what infection was now in her blood. "I should have told you I was on the field." There was humour in those words. She did try to announce her arrival, so Hahtavi was better prepared to pull her from the fire. "Thank you."

-- Kye --

Kye is quick on the uptake and so he sees the vine tentacle monster coming. He leaps back when it strikes in, and soon he's got the W-35 trained at the thing even as he tries to shoot once it's snatched its target. His friend is being swung around like a party favor and he's got no idea what to do, when he gets the bright idea of stopping that by putting a couple of plasma holes through the cellulose tentacle until it starts to undo itself.

Once it starts to come, he glances from one side to the other and, well, looks at the wasted ascension line cartridge on the one gun he carried for adventuring purposes. "Hold on tight, Grafn!" He calls out, then gestures to the pilot and back to the assembled group that hasn't gotten stuck by tentacle yet.

-- Aurora --

Aurora stumbles back, narrowly avoiding a vine that was reaching out for her. "Hey, no, this is -not- that kind of adventure!" she grumbles. With vines coming after them now, it really did seem like everything was attacking them. It was hard for her to pick out a good angle of attack on whatever the source of those vines was, but there were still plenty of other enemies left. The remaining husk seemed like the smaller threat between it and the lemurs, so she took aim at one of the lemurs and fired off a quick round of shots... only to miss all three. The thing was stuck in gluey-stuff, but was still wriggling around and making it hard for her to land a clean shot. Didn't help that they were pretty thin too!

-- Galen --

Galen shifts his location slightly as he aims up at the lemurs semi ignoring the vines as he adjusts to try and get a good shot in although once again that red bolt passes the lemurs, "Good grief they're dodgy. Come on down here and get shot already!" He does a quick glance at the others as they're handling the swoopy swooped up folks and as it looks like they're being handled well he goes back to watching the lemurs.

-- Maelstrom --

Wiggle wiggle wiggle. The vines are angry. How can you tell? Because they're wiggling. They're also rather indiscriminate. What remains of the living creatures -- those adorable lemurs the side of great danes -- are quickly snatched up. The remaining flying creatures are plucked out of the goo and dragged, their claws digging into the manmade floor, towards the many holes around the facility. Their screeches heard fading away into the darkness until the deep unknown swallows the sounds wholly.

The husk is left untouched as it does not exude a lifeforce to feed upon.

But there are still plenty of vines left still wiggling. Though maybe not as much now that they've gotten some sustenance.

-- Sumi --

Sumi's arm is claimed by another vine, but it finds little purchase when she holds that arm up and lops the end of the vine off with a single pass of the blade. Moving into the chaos of the flailing appendages, Sumi cuts another vine off, then pauses to step on one and blast it with her wrist-vambrace. The blast briefly illuminates the space around her, revealing that she's looking for the next target to attack.

-- Qutha --

Blaster fire is all around thanks to the various individuals pumping tibanna plasma into the vine beast's form. Singing blades hew greenery and his instincts scream for him to duck to a kneeling position when the grenade rims and drops down. Using a waving tangle of vines for defilade from the effects of the blast and trusting in the energy coursing through him to absorb what impacting shock can get to him.

Head tipping to one side, Qutha dips, legs shooting out to one side to project him to his left and back to his feet. Greenery severing and tumbling away, revealing the last of the husks shambling towards him. It's Grafn falling that has his attention, free hand reaching out and his expression becoming pained.

The Husk is sliced through, at the approximation of it's waist and the Zelosian comes down on one knee, shaking his head and trying to clear it.

-- Hahtavi --

<"I owe you many times over, Doc. Glad if I can repay a tiny fraction of it."> That to Tamsin as he sets her down on the ground. But no sooner have his boots hit the ground than Grafn is falling and more spiked vines are whipping about with force!

One vine wraps around Hahtavi's left arm and threatens to rip his armored gauntlet off while another snakes around his torso. The tip wraps up under his armpit and stabs right through his fiberweave bodysuit, eliciting a grunt of surprise!

There is no time for this! This Kora tries firing off his jetpack to break free of the vines and see if he can help Grafn too - who's still falling! But the vines check his movement, still grasping before they begin to let go and drop away. That precious instant keeps Hahtavi from rising to the challenge but somehow he manages to leap underneath the older man to try and break his fall...

Rifle dropped to hang on his tactical rig, the Mandalorian puts both arms out to try and grab Grafn as the old fart falls on top of him! <"Oooph!"> Haht is staggered but breaks the fall and though he's forced down to his knee, he caught him!

<"You need to loose some shabla weight! Feels like a Wookiee just tried to pull my arms out.">

-- Grafn --

And down Grafn falls. Gravity. Grafnity? Oh down he goes. One moment he was being shaken like a rag doll, the next he was feeling weightless for once. Soaring downwards at velocity. Spiralling, flailing, oh the indignity! To die as a crumpled mess of jam in a suit of decent armour. And then he spots the Mando! Once, twice, for the Grafn is flailing and spinning, his field of vision catching sight of the warrior once or twice! And then with a breath-stealing grunt, and a sudden punch of velocity slowing effort! Grafn slumps against the arms of the (ahem) Handolorian. Oh sure the old pilot staggers the old whipper snapper. But the old pilot has deserved every last meal he's consumed! A lifetime of service! And with his fall broken, he finds himself on the ground once more, and breathing and non crumpled. A grin is offered Haht, and a hearty slap to the Mando's arm soon follows. "My saviour! I'll be sure to see a bottle of the cheapest brandy is made available at the next place we meet! And weight?! Noooo. I've earned this!" He exclaims, patting his armoured stomach.

-- Tamsin --

Tamsin's feet had only just hit the ground, when she dropped to the side, seeing Hahtavi turn towards the falling imperial (former...or was he? yes, he was, the Empire was dead, Jim) pilot, and she wanted to avoid becoming more of an obstacle. She had just enough time to check the refills left on her spray, because that was likely to hurt, before she forced herself to her feet, ignoring the lingering pain in her leg that even her accelerated healing had not quite managed to eliminate. Whatever pain she would soon not be feeling had clearly been transmitted by mental osmosis to the tall mandalorian, as he caught the falling pilot, and Tamsin was soon moving to his side to begin the process of, possibly putting poor Hahtavi Kora back together again. Because ouch. "Let me help you two up, we need to move."

-- Kye --

"Just--" As he calls out, the vine hits him and whips the Corellian -good-. He's knocked down and when he stands, it's with a definite dazed and confused expression.

Once he regains his bearings, Grafn has been rescued.

"I'm glad you made it," Kye calls out to Grafn, holstering his gun dubiously once he realizes the vine monster has... for lack of a better term, made good on its expiration date. As he walks away from the crime scene along with the others, he gets close enough when they decide to move on. Sure,

-- Aurora --

The vines seemingly took offense to Aurora's previous quip as the one she had narrowly avoided previously whips up again in a frenzy, striking the Zeltron hard across the chest and sending her flying back into a nearby wall. She lets out a gasp as the wind is knocked out of her and, on top of leaving a gash across where it had struck, she was pretty sure she heard something crack when she hit. Still, she's quick to point her blaster around the room in case anything was looking to make a follow-up attack on her. But seeing the vines retreating after more were cut up, and the remaining zombie sliced clean in half, she lets out a sigh and pulls herself onto her feet, wincing from the effort. "Ow... think that was a rib..." she hisses. She'd do her best to spot for the group as they moved on, but she was more than a little distracted under the circumstances and having trouble focusing.

-- Galen --

Galen gets slapped by one of those vines giving him a good bruisy bruise. Shaking off the injury a bit he looks around to see everything trying to kill him leaving so he slings his rifle to allow him better use of his hands. Looking around some more for other threats before he looks for any pitfalls and traps then unslings his rifle to head towards the vault. He points out a few bad spots, "So I think that's going to leave a mark."

-- Maelstrom --

There is still a great deal of terrors lurking in this facility. Floors above and below gone unexplored. But none of them are here on a pleasure tour. No, not this place. So while half of the group keep a watch out for potential threats, the second half manage to navigate this awful terrain to find the vault in question. The whole time, that foreboding feeling pressing down on them all like the thick forever-fog that clouds the upper dome.

The specimens and seeds acquired, they follow that same path back towards the entrance. Over the leave-covered catwalks and across seemingly bottomless chasms. Through the pieces of Husks left behind and bits of lemur-like winged abominations. Dead, brambled vines. All the while knowing more still slithered, shifted, and scuttled just beyond.

Tamsin alerts Imat of their approach through the communicator and by the time they reach the doors, the last of the locks are unclicking. When they crack open, it is a rush of air, still humid yet much cooler than that within this laboratory. Quickly they filter out and when it is all locked up again and the keychain tucked away, the seeds are delivered in an unassuming, cryo-controlled box.

Imat manages to tear his wonderous gaze from the gift in his large hands to look up at those assembled. "You all look as though you met a terrible fate, but my heart is warmed to see you have made it. This--" He looks back at the small box, one hand going over the top to sandwich it protectively. "You have done a great service for my people. I am not sure we will ever be able to repay you. But please. Come back to my village before you leave. There will be a feast tonight!"